Check Library does not allow adding extra titles

[qwertyuio]

I have run a library check and it has found a few extra titles (files in the library that are not in the database). It appears the only option Calibre offers to correct the problem is to delete the files. I don't want to delete the files. I want to add them to the database. Is there any reason why the Check Library function does not allow me to add the extra files to the database?

[BetterRed]

Originally Posted by qwertyuio

I have run a library check and it has found a few extra titles (files in the library that are not in the database). It appears the only option Calibre offers to correct the problem is to delete the files. I don't want to delete the files. I want to add them to the database. Is there any reason why the Check Library function does not allow me to add the extra files to the database?

Yes, there are too many corner cases to consider.

Errors of this sort are invariably caused when something other than calibre is used to add/rename/delete sub folders and files within the library folder - usually a file manager. The simple message is - Don't Do That.

• Copy the list to the clipboard;
• Move the 'Extra Title" book folders out of the library with your file manager;
• Run the library check again to ensure the "Extra Title" books are gone;
• Use one of calibre's Add Books options to put the books into the library;

I run the calibredb check_library weekly. On the odd occasion something is reported, I can recall what I did to 'break it' - usually leaving something behind like an unpacked CBZ after reordering the images.

BR

[qwertyuio]

I have not been adding books outside of Calibre. The reason for the extra titles is for some reason my metadata.db got corrupted. Calibre would start up and display the books fine but whenever I tried to add a book it, Calibre would freeze. Fortunately my Calibre startup script makes a backup copy of metadata.db so I was able to roll back to a version from a few hours earlier that works fine. But obviously it does not contain any changes made to the library since then.

It would be helpful if Calibre's Check Library offered to move the extra folders out of the library and into a temporary folder so I can then easily add them back. Expecting me to manually find the book folders in the library and move them out myself is unhelpful. Unfortunately due to the library design of a flat one directory per book structure, trying to pick folders out of a 100,000 book library with a file manager is a frustrating experience.

[BetterRed]

If you post an Enhancement request in Bugs : calibre you will get a response from Kovid.

Or paste the list into a text editor, and edit it:- to move the books from the library folder into a scratch folder and add the books in the scratch folder into the library using the calibredb add utility.

BR